tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6453723036058575732024-03-13T16:26:37.925-04:00Science Hill's Bible Reading PlanJon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.comBlogger1553125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-87139554856655204932020-12-20T22:09:00.001-05:002020-12-20T22:09:58.395-05:00Revelation Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who is “the revelation” from, and who is it to? Who is the Book of Revelation from, and who is it to?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>John sees a vision of seven stars and seven lampstands (Revelation 1:12-16). What does Revelation 1:20 say these images represent? Does this mean that other elements may convey symbolic meaning?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Does each of the seven churches who John writes to receive both praise and criticism from Jesus? Which ones are the exception?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The four living creatures of Revelation 4 are like a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle, with six wings and covered with eyes. If not an actual physical description, what might these characteristics represent?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who is the One on the throne in Revelation 4:11? For what reason do the 24 elders proclaim that He is worthy? </p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who is the only One found worthy to take the scroll in Revelation 5? What two animals are referred to in Romans 5:5-6?</p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In the new song of Revelation 5:9-10, for what reason is the Lamb declared to be worthy?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are the colors of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse in Revelation 6:1-8, and what do each of them represent?</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who are the ones in the multitude wearing white robes (Revelation 7:9-17)? How many people are there? What is their reward? </p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>After the 7 seals, another series of 7 takes place. What is it? Instead of a fourth of the earth (6:8), what proportion is affected this time?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Where does it appear the events of Revelation 11:1-14 take place?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who is the dragon? Can you cite a scripture that tells us directly?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Sea Beast of Revelation 13 is often thought to be the Antichrist, while the Earth Beast is called the False Prophet. What would an “unholy Trinity” like this tell us about Satan?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are the consequences of not receiving the mark of the Beast (13:16-18)? What are the consequences of receiving it (14:9-12)?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A final cycle of 7 begins in Revelation 15-16. What is it this time?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Revelation 17 provides a vision of a prostitute sitting on the beast. Who do you think she may represent?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What happens to “Babylon” in Revelation 18? Who is listed as being saddened at her fate in 18:9-20? </p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the fate of the beast and false prophet (Revelation 19:19-21)? What is the eventual fate of the dragon (Revelation 20:7-10)?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What excites you the most about the vision of a new heaven and a new earth we see in Revelation 21 and 22?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Is Revelation just about the end, its words only for those living in the last days? Or does it contain a message for its first hearers and subsequent generations of Christians? If so, what is that message?</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-61757452934715470332020-12-15T11:22:00.001-05:002020-12-15T11:22:25.248-05:00I & II Peter, I, II & III John, and Jude Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In I Peter 1, what things does the apostle describe as “imperishable” and “perishable” (note: your translation may use different terms)?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I Peter 2:4 speaks of Christ being the “living Stone” - chosen by whom and rejected by whom?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is Peter’s advice on how Christians should relate to human authorities like emperors and governors (I Peter 2:13-17)?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the difference between a woman’s outward adornment and her inner beauty?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Peter have to say about suffering for doing good (I Peter 2:19-23, I Peter 3:14, and I Peter 3:17-18)? </p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Have you ever been insulted or have you otherwise suffered for being a Christian (I Peter 4:12-16)? </p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How is Peter’s advice to elders to be shepherds (I Peter 5:1-4) reflective of Jesus’ last conversation with him in the Gospel of John?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What event from the Gospels is Peter describing in II Peter 1:16-18?</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What lesson does Peter say that the experiences of Noah and Lot teach us about God (II Peter 2:4-10)? </p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does II Peter 3:8-9 teach us about waiting for the last days?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to I John 1:8-10, what is the most successful strategy in dealing with our sin: denial or confession?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What characteristic marks the difference between living in the light or living in the darkness (I John 2:9-11)?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How should we reconcile John 3:16 with I John 2:15 in regards to “loving the world”?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I John speaks of “antichrists.” What is the definition of an “antichrist” (I John 2:22)?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In what ways does I John 3:16-18 say we should love our brothers and sisters?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does John recommend that we test the spirits in I John 4:1-3?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I John 4:16 says “God is love.” What is the difference, if any, between “God is love” and “Love is God”?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you see in II John that sounds similar to I John?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does John say gives him the greatest joy in III John 4?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who or what is Jude warning the Church about in Jude 3-19?</p><div>NOTE: We will not have Bible Study on Sunday, December 27, 2020. We will conclude our "Twenty Questions" study over Revelation on Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 7 p.m.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-7217367447726778232020-12-07T17:46:00.004-05:002020-12-07T17:46:31.741-05:00Hebrews and James Twenty Questions<p>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Hebrews 1, who does the author say that Jesus is better than?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In a letter written to the Hebrews, would you expect to find a lot of references to Old Testament scripture, concepts, and people? Are your expectations met?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is our relationship to Jesus, according to Hebrews 2:10-11? </p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Hebrews 3:1-6, how does Jesus compare to Moses?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When is the right time for repentance and getting right with the Lord, according to Hebrews 3:7, 3:13, 3:15, and 4:7? </p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which is scripturally correct? A) Jesus was not tempted. B) Jesus was tempted but did not sin. C) Jesus was tempted and sinned. </p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who is our great high priest? What does a high priest do, according to Hebrews 5:1?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Can you reconcile Hebrews 6:4-8 and Hebrews 10:26-30 with a belief that Christians cannot lose their salvation? How would you do so?</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Hebrews speaks of the priestly order of Melchizedek. We don’t know much about him (Genesis 14:18-20). What does the author of Hebrews say about Melchizedek, and how does that relate to Jesus? </p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Hebrews 7:23-28, what makes Jesus the best high priest?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Hebrews 8 compares the old covenant with the new one. Which is better?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How did Christ enter the heavenly tabernacle (Hebrews 9:11-14)?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was the mission of Christ’s first coming, and what will be the mission of His second coming (Hebrews 9:28)?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Can the blood of bulls and goats take away sin? What takes away our sin as followers of Jesus (Hebrews 10:10, 10:12, 10:19-20)?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Hebrews 11 lists some champions of the Old Testament. Through what did they accomplish great things or endure severe trials?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Hebrews 12:4-15, should you be discouraged to receive discipline from the Lord? Why or why not?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do James and Paul have an argument about faith and works? Compare James 2:14-26 with Romans 4. How do you resolve the tension between their points of view?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do the examples of a bit, a rudder, and a fire in James 3 teach us about the tongue?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to James 4:7-8, what happens when we resist the devil? What happens when we draw near to God?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which two Bible heroes does James cite as examples of patience in suffering and the power of prayer?</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-13553035839234615932020-11-30T13:55:00.004-05:002020-11-30T13:55:34.892-05:00I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, and Philemon Twenty Questions<p>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to I Thessalonians 1:5, with what did the word of God come to the Thessalonians?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Paul say in I Thessalonians 4 will happen to dead Christians?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does the phrase “like a thief in the night” have to do with the return of Christ? What kind of images does that phrase conjure?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to I Thessalonians 5:16-18, what three actions may be reliably considered the will of God? How are you practicing them?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do we know about “the man of lawlessness” of II Thessalonians 2? What role does he play in the Day of the Lord?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was Paul’s rule concerning those unwilling to work? </p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In what way do you think Paul’s handwriting was unique, serving as his trademark (II Thessalonians 3:17)?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to I Timothy 1, who did Paul consider to be the worst sinner? Do you think he was right? </p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How should we reconcile what Paul says about women in church in I Timothy 2 (as well as their salvation through childbearing) with modern practice? Was he wrong? Are we wrong? Is the Bible wrong?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you think is the most important qualification for an elder or an oversee in I Timothy 3:1-7?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to I Timothy 4:11-16, what advice did Paul have for Timothy to overcome his youthfulness in his ministry?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Paul say is a root of all kinds of evil? Have you ever heard him misquoted about this?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Paul in I Timothy 6:17-19, how should the rich and successful in this world live?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What earlier faith experiences did Timothy have, both in his family and from Paul, based on II Timothy 1 and II Timothy 3:15?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does II Timothy 2:2 reveal that Paul is thinking of the future?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Paul foresee the last days will be like, in II Timothy 3?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What claims does Paul make of scripture in II Timothy 3:16-17?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In II Timothy 4:1-8 what does Paul charge Timothy to do, and for what reasons?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How many times do forms of words like “teach”/”exhort”/”speak” appear in your translation of Titus 2?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus? What did Paul want it to be?</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-6650585690307553162020-11-22T23:47:00.004-05:002020-11-22T23:47:39.922-05:00Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Galatians 1, from where did Paul receive the gospel?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which justifies? The works of the law or faith in Jesus Christ? Find a scripture citation from Galatians 2 to support your answer.</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If Galatians 3:28 is true, should there be one rule or standard for men and a different one for women in the Body of Christ?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What lesson does Hagar and Sarah provide for the Church?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are the differences between the “acts of the flesh” (5:19-21) and the “fruit of the Spirit” (5:22-24)?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Can you find two clues from Galatians (in chapters 4 and 6) that indicate Paul may have had a problem with his eyesight? </p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian church in Ephesians 1?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is our identity and purpose, according to Ephesians 2:10?</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian church in Ephesians 3?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the problem of the Gentiles, according to Ephesians 4:17-19?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How high is the standard set in Ephesians 5:1-5 for Christian believers?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Ephesians 5, what does Paul call wives to do? What does he call husbands to do?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Memorization Challenge! What are the six pieces of the armor of God in Ephesians 6?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How would you explain what Paul means by his expression “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” in Philippians 1:21?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What about Jesus does Paul want us to imitate in Philippians 2?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What qualities of Paul does he now rate “garbage” (Philippians 3:8) in comparison to knowing Christ? What attributes of yours do you consider to be likewise trash next to your relationship with Jesus?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is Paul’s “secret” of contentment in Philippians 4:12?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you consider to be Paul’s most startling claim about Jesus in Colossians 1:15-20?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What spiritual clothing is a Christian supposed to “take off” and “put on”, according to Colossians 3:5-14?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Does Colossians 4:16 hint that there is a “lost book of the Bible”? Imagine, for a moment, that such a letter of Paul’s was unearthed today. What would such a discovery mean for the Church? </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-35381556463627423112020-11-16T10:38:00.004-05:002020-11-16T10:38:50.037-05:00II Corinthians Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When you write a letter to someone, how do you start it? In what standard way does Paul begin this letter (and his other letters)?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How many times do variations of the word “comfort” appear in your translation in II Corinthians 1:3-7?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is Paul saying with all the “yes” and “no” talk in 1:15-22?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you think it means that Paul and his companions simultaneously bring the aroma of life and of death in 2:14-17?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does Paul contrast the old ministry of the law with the new ministry of the Spirit in II Corinthians 3:7-18?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>II Corinthians 4:7 speaks of “treasure in jars of clay.” What is the treasure? What are the clay jars? </p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the interplay between the life of the apostle and the death of Jesus, as well as the death of the apostle and the life of Jesus, as described in II Corinthians 4:8-12?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What terms does Paul use to describe our earthly body and our heavenly body in II Corinthians 5:1-4?</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to II Corinthians 5:17, what is true for those who are in Christ?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is our role as Christ’s ambassadors? What is our message to the world?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Paul say in II Corinthians 6:14-18 about unions between Christians and nonChristians? Is this consistent or inconsistent with Jesus being “a friend of sinners”?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow, as Paul describes them in II Corinthians 7:10?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Based on II Corinthians 8:1-7, how did the Macedonians demonstrate their generosity?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Have you ever observed the truth of the proverb, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously?”</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why do you think God loves a “cheerful” giver? How can you personally give more cheerfully?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is Paul’s mood/tone toward the Corinthians in chapter 10?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Have you ever heard of another Jesus or different Spirit/gospel than the one preached to you, as Paul discusses in II Corinthians 11:4?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>As you consider all that Paul went through as recounted in II Corinthians 11:22-33, how do such sufferings give him credibility?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you suppose Paul’s “thorn” in II Corinthians 12:7 may have been? What was God’s answer each time he prayed for it to be removed?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When you write a letter to someone, how do you end it? In what standard way does Paul close this letter (and his other letters)? </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-59261877024001618262020-11-09T10:04:00.002-05:002020-11-09T10:04:33.122-05:00I Corinthians Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How would you describe the first problem that Paul addresses in I Corinthians 1:10-12? Have you seen a church struggle with this?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does Paul say God’s foolishness compares with man’s wisdom in 1:25? How does God’s weakness compare with man’s strength?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to 2:14, can a person without the Spirit accept and/or understand spiritual things? Have you seen this truth for yourself?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In I Corinthians 3:5-17, Paul employs two metaphors: a field and a building. How does he say that spiritual growth is like these things?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was an apostle’s life like, as depicted in I Corinthians 4:9-13?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What church discipline does Paul advise in I Corinthians 5:1-2 regarding a case of sexual immorality? </p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why doesn’t Paul apply Jesus’ teaching of “judge not” in I Corinthians 5:9-13? Why is there a difference between associating with sinners inside the Church and those outside?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are some things wrong with Christians suing one another in court in I Corinthians 6:1-8? What does Paul recommend instead?</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which sinners are kept out of the kingdom in I Corinthians 6:9-10? Does Paul have hope for those who used to commit such acts?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Paul in I Corinthian 6:18-20, what is a Christian’s body and who really owns it?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Under what limited conditions in I Corinthians 7:5 does Paul say it is acceptable for Christian spouses to NOT have sex?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Paul, is it always wrong to eat food offered in the pagan temples? When does it become wrong?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why does Paul endeavor to contort himself to various states (as one living under the law, not under the law, weak, etc.) in I Corinthians 9:19-23? What does this suggest about the importance of his goal?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to 10:6-10, what kind of sins did the Israelites commit in the wilderness, and how are they an example to us to do better?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What kinds of errors were the Corinthians making in their practice of the Lord’s Supper, as described in I Corinthians 11:17-34? </p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What metaphor in I Corinthians 12:12-31 does Paul employ to explain why God doesn’t just give us all the same spiritual gift?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which specific description of love in I Corinthians 13 do you personally find it most difficult to practice? Easiest?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In I Corinthians 14, how do the gifts of prophecy and tongues compare? What is the role of the gift of interpretation of tongues?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do Paul’s words in I Corinthians 14:34-38 leave any room for women teachers or preachers? How can we determine if this is an absolute, universal law, or one that is culturally and contextually dependent? (For instance, do we practice I Corinthians 11:2-16?) </p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How would you engage a person who professes to be a Christian, but doesn’t believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ? How can I Corinthians 15:12-34 help you in this? </p><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-29102135138098182852020-11-01T21:51:00.003-05:002020-11-01T21:51:37.109-05:00Romans Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Read Romans 1:18-32 very carefully. What sin is the root cause of God “giving them over” to sexual impurity and unnatural relations?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Would you take the works-righteousness deal that Paul offers in Romans 2:6-11? Why or why not?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Paul in Romans 3:1-8, what is wrong with the thinking that it’s fine for us to do evil because it makes God’s righteousness and glory shine all the brighter?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What can we do to be declared righteous by the law?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Where does the righteousness apart from the law that Paul preaches come from?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How is Abraham the father in faith of the circumcised and the uncircumcised? </p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Based on Romans 5:6-8, what would you say to a person who says they can’t come to Jesus and attend church until they get themselves right first?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you think is the relationship between the concepts of the Original Sin of Adam and the Atonement of Christ, as described in Romans 5:18-19? </p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It is sometimes observed that everyone has to serve something or someone. What two alternatives does Paul lay out that people will ultimately be slave to in Romans 6?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Based on Romans 7, what would you say to someone wrestling with sin? Do you think Paul describes a Christian or pre-Christian state?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How do our present sufferings compare with our future hope?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What must Christians fear separating us from the love of Christ?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Romans 9:1-5, Paul lists some of the blessings of the Jews. What are they?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Where do we see elements of God’s sovereignty in Romans 9?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is necessary for salvation, according to Romans 10:8-13? And what are the necessary preconditions for that, in 10:14-15? </p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>To what does Paul attribute the spiritual hardening of his people the Jews in Romans 11:25?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Paul issues many commands in Romans 12:9-21. Which do you find to be the most difficult? The easiest?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does Paul summarize all the commands in Romans 13?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does Paul say that people of strong faith should treat those of weaker faith?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Some critics of Christianity argue that Paul had a different message than Jesus. What would you say in response? </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-11155801596832415552020-10-26T12:25:00.001-04:002020-10-26T12:25:12.702-04:00Acts 15-28 Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What were the people who came down from Judea to Antioch teaching the believers in Acts 15?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How was this issue resolved?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why did Paul and Barnabas part ways? What does II Timothy 4:11 reveal about how Paul might have eventually felt about his position?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you make of the underlying spiritual drama (the resistance of the Holy Spirit and the “Spirit of Jesus” and the vision of the man of Macedonia) in directing Paul’s travel plans in Acts 16:6-10?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does the change in perspective (switching from the third -person point of view to the first-person point of view) starting in Acts 16:11 indicate?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why were Paul and Silas in jail? What were the providential circumstances leading up to the baptism of the Philippian jailer? </p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In spite of his distress at their idolatry, how did Paul find “common ground” with the Athenians in his presentation of the gospel?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was Paul’s custom when it came to preaching at a new town? Would he start with the Jews or the Gentiles? </p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What caused the riot in Ephesus in Acts 19?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Acts 20:22, Paul says he doesn’t know what will happen to him in Jerusalem. What warnings does the Spirit give him in Acts 21?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What caused the riot in Jerusalem in Acts 21?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What statement of Paul’s prompted the crowd to call for his death in Acts 22:22? Why was this a hot button issue?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How did Paul get out of a flogging?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How did Paul successfully divide his opponents in the Sanhedrin?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Paul’s enemies formed a conspiracy to kill him. How did he escape their plot?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What can we make of the character of Governor Felix based on Acts 24:24-27?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why did Paul decide to invoke his right as a Roman citizen and appeal his case to Caesar?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Acts 26, what clues do we have that Paul is not only presenting his legal defense, but also sharing the gospel to those in attendance?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is your favorite part of the shipwreck story in Acts 27?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Where and how does the Book of Acts end? </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-10239621315325352452020-10-19T11:51:00.004-04:002020-10-19T11:51:46.439-04:00Acts 1-14 Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Since Jesus ascended into the sky, does that mean heaven is a physical place in outer space?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What qualifications were needed and what process was used to replace Judas Iscariot as an apostle? Who was chosen?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What 3 manifestations of the Holy Spirit occurred on Pentecost?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are the necessary responses to be saved, according to Peter’s answer to the crowd in Acts 2:38?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Acts 3:16, who or what was said to be responsible for healing the lame beggar at the Temple?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Acts 4:12, how many pathways are there to salvation?</p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was the difference between Barnabas’ gift and Ananias and Sapphira’s? What was the couple’s sin? What happened as a result? </p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does Peter’s statement in Acts 5:29-32 reflect earlier passages such as 4:19, 2:38, and 1:8?</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was Gamaliel’s advice? Do you think history has borne out that his counsel was correct?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why was there a need to enlist 7 men as deacons, or “table waiters”? Why didn’t the apostles take care of this need themselves?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What were the last words of Stephen? Are they reminiscent of any of the last words of his Lord?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How is Acts 8:1 a fulfillment of what we read earlier in 1:8?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was Simon the Sorceror’s sin? (Extra credit: what is the practice of “simony” and how is it related to what Simon did?)</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In general, how quickly after receiving faith are new Christians in Acts baptized? Can you give some examples?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How did Saul gain acceptance with Ananias? How did he gain acceptance with the apostles in Jerusalem?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who is the first reported Gentile believer to be baptized? Who baptized him and how did he know it was okay to do so?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How is the first recorded miracle that Paul works (in Acts 13) similar to what he experienced in Acts 9?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How do the events of Acts 13:45-48 represent what was happening at large in the advancement of the gospel?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are the extremes that the residents of Lystra went to in their treatment of Paul and Barnabas?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What similarities and differences stand out to you in comparing the followers of Jesus in Acts and the followers of Jesus today?</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-68978168816557028062020-10-11T22:38:00.001-04:002020-10-11T22:38:54.921-04:00John Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are some of the claims made about Jesus in John 1:1-18?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In the synoptic gospels, Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple takes place during Holy Week. In John, the account appears in chapter 2. What are some ways to explain this difference?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How would you describe John the Baptist’s attitude in John 3:22-30?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What social and religious conventions did Jesus break in John 4:7?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which testimonies about Himself does Jesus cite in John 5:31-47?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How many different kinds of bread are referred to in John 6?</p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In light of John 8:31-47, should we consider everyone to be a “child of God”? </p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How did the Pharisees react to Jesus’ healing of a man born blind?</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What makes Jesus “the good shepherd”?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35. What theological lessons can we draw from these two words?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Was Mary right to use such expensive perfume to pour upon Jesus’ feet? Why or why not?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In John 13:14, Jesus commands His disciples to wash one another’s feet as He has washed theirs. How can Jesus’ disciples “wash one another’s feet” today?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does John 14:6 mean to you? How would you explain it to others?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How important is it for a Christian to remain deeply connected to Jesus like a branch to a vine?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who does Jesus say He will send in John 16:7?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Jesus’ prayer in John 17, what is the effect of future generations of Christ followers being as one in complete unity?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How would you describe Pilate’s attitude toward Jesus’ statement, “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me”?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What scriptures are fulfilled in John 19?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What evidence did Thomas say he needed before he would believe the resurrection?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What did Jesus ask Peter three times in John 21? Why do you think He would ask three times?</p><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-71390965788960591972020-10-05T09:00:00.003-04:002020-10-05T09:00:28.956-04:00Luke 14-24 Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What’s the difference between humility and humiliation (Luke 14:7-11)?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If Jesus said things like Luke 14:26-27 and Luke 14:33, why in the world would anyone want to be His disciple? Does the Church still preach this message today? Should it?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are some common threads among the parables of Luke 15?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the basic message of the Luke 15 parables? How important must this be if Jesus stressed it in back-to-back-to-back teachings?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is commendable about the behavior of the shrewd manager of Luke 16:1-9?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What would you say are some of the messages we should glean from Jesus’ teaching about the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16?</p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What will be the similarities between the “revealing of the Son of Man” and the days of Noah as well as the days of Lot? Have you ever experienced anything like this? What is the word to us?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How is God like an unjust judge? How is He unlike one?</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector reveal about the importance of our attitude before God?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>People felt Zacchaeus had disqualified himself from God’s grace by being a tax collector. Had he? Who is our “Zacchaeus” today?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It is believed Jesus’ prophetic words about the destruction of Jerusalem in Luke 19:41-44 were fulfilled about 35 years later. What lessons should America today draw from Jesus’ warning and Jerusalem’s experience?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In what way could it be said that the poor widow was a “bigger giver” than the rich putting their gifts in the Temple treasury?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why was it appropriate for Jesus to infuse the ancient Passover meal with new meaning concerning His body and His blood?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does Jesus’ healing of the ear of the servant of the high priest exemplify His earlier preaching?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What did the Jewish leaders accuse Jesus of before Pilate?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Three times (23:35, 23:37, and 23:39) Jesus was challenged to “save Himself.” Could He have? If so, why didn’t He?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Is there any significance to the fact that the first witnesses to the Resurrection were a group of women?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Following His resurrection, what does Jesus say is the connection between Himself and the Old Testament scriptures?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are some clues we are given about Jesus’ resurrection body? How is it similar or different to our earthly bodies?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Matthew, Mark and Luke are sometimes called the “synoptic” gospels because they tell the story of Jesus in a similar way. What similarities and differences did you find among them?</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-53366943432653518412020-09-28T11:11:00.005-04:002020-09-28T11:11:43.321-04:00Luke 1-13 Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Based on Luke 1:1-4, is it more likely that Luke’s account of Jesus Christ was one of the first ones composed, or one of the later ones?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does Gabriel’s proclamation in Luke 1:13-17 indicate that John the Baptist will be a fulfillment of Malachi 4:5-6 and Isaiah 40:3?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the difference between Zechariah’s and Mary’s responses to the angelic message of an impending miraculous birth?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does the story of Jesus as a 12-year-old at the Temple reveal about His priorities?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How would you react if someone called you “a snake”? How did John’s audience respond to him calling them “a brood of vipers”?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How should we interpret the differences in the genealogies of Jesus between Matthew 1 and Luke 3?</p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you make of the fact that in Luke 4:10-11, “the devil can cite scripture for his purpose?”</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Luke 4:18-19, why do you suppose Jesus did not finish the entire quote from Isaiah 61:1-2?</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What made the good synagogue-going citizens of Nazareth want to throw Jesus off a cliff?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is Simon’s initial reaction to the miracle of the great catch of fish?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In contrast to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount, Luke’s Sermon on the Plain includes corresponding “woes” to the beatitudes. Where do we see this idea of a “reversal of fortunes” elsewhere in Luke?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do you think Jesus honestly meant for His followers to practice “turning the other cheek” (Luke 6:29) or was He exaggerating?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What factors motivated Jesus to a) heal the centurion’s servant and b) raise the son of the widow of Nain?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why would John the Baptist question if Jesus was the Messiah in Luke 7:19? Was Jesus offended at his doubt?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Jesus say is the surprising connection between love and forgiveness in Luke 7? How does He reveal this?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What role did women play in the ministry of Jesus, according to Luke 8:1-3?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Reconcile the apparent contradiction of Luke 9:50 (“Whoever is not against you is for you.”) and Luke 11:23 (“Whoever is not with me is against me.”)</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Based on the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37, how should we answer the question, “Who is my neighbor?”</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In what way does Jesus draw unfavorable comparisons between the people of His day with earlier Bible times (Luke 10:8-15; 11:29-32)?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How do you interpret the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast? How is the Kingdom of God like these things?</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-6041701839535339132020-09-21T09:49:00.005-04:002020-09-21T09:49:38.208-04:00Mark Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How would you define the “good news” in Mark 1:1 and 1:15?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you suppose made men like Simon, Andrew, James, John, and Levi leave everything and follow Jesus?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Does it surprise you that the Son of God did not fit the expectations of the religious scribes and Pharisees in Mark 2? Is there a word of warning there for us in terms of our expectations of God?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4, Jesus talks about four different kinds of soil. Which kind do you think is most prevalent in our society today? Which one do you find yourself to often be?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How do we know Jesus is full of spiritual power, based on Mark 5?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What offense got John the Baptist in trouble and eventually executed?</p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Have you ever witnessed God miraculously provide for a need like when Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish to feed a crowd?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which does Jesus say it is that defiles a person – what goes into them or what comes out of them? Why?</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In what ways do you suppose the “yeast” of the Pharisees and of Herod stands in opposition to the way of Jesus?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the contrast between what the people were expecting in their Messiah, and what Jesus says is going to happen to Him?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Mark contains many miracle stories, including the supernatural experience of the Transfiguration. Do you think it is possible to follow Jesus without believing in miracles? Why or why not?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What would you tell a Christian who wants to pluck out his eye rather than be led into sin by what he looks at?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Mark 10, does Jesus say it is easy or hard to enter the kingdom of heaven? Assuming you agree with Him, why do you think that is so?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was the immediate fall-out of Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Where did Jesus come up with the greatest commandment(s)? What does this show us about the continuity between the Testaments?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How much do you think Christians should study and reflect upon the endtimes teaching in the Bible, such as in Mark 13? Why?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who was right: the woman who anointed Jesus with a costly perfume in Mark 14, or those who criticized her? Are there any implications from this story for the practice of our faith today?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why was Peter so sure that he would not disown Christ? Why was he so badly mistaken?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you suppose is the meaning of the temple curtain being torn in two from top to bottom at the moment that Jesus died?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Some churches practice “snake handling” based on Jesus’ prophecy in Mark 16:17-18. Should we start doing that at Science Hill? Why or why not?</p><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-61266604054762736362020-09-13T20:47:00.001-04:002020-09-13T20:47:15.806-04:00Matthew 15-28 Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which is more important: honoring time-tested traditions or obeying the commands of God?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you think Jesus might say about the adage, “Cleanliness is next to godliness?”</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How did Peter know that Jesus was the Messiah? Why do you think Jesus wanted to keep His identity a secret?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does John the Baptist fulfill the prophecy of Elijah coming first?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you suppose it is about children that Jesus wants us to emulate in “changing and becoming like [them]” in Matthew 18:3?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Have you ever lost something that you deeply regretted? Have you ever had a moment of joy in finding something of yours that had been lost?</p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Jesus say will happen to the person whose sins are forgiven by God, but then does not forgive his brother or sister?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Is the employer in the parable of Matthew 20:1-16 fair? Are you ever jealous about God’s grace toward someone else?</p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do we practice Jesus’ concept of servant leadership described in Matthew 20:25-28? What does/would that look like?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Was Jesus justified in overturning the tables in the Temple? Why or why not?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What were the Pharisees doing wrong, according to the parables of Matthew 21:28-32 and 21:33-41?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Is there one greatest commandment, or two?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Matthew 23, Jesus issues seven woes upon the Pharisees for their practices. Which do you find personally most convicting?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are some clues that Jesus gives us about the occasion of His return in Matthew 24?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How would you answer Jesus if He were to return today and ask you what you have done with your “talents”?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What can you do to move in your life, becoming less “goat-like” and more “sheep-like”, as described in Matthew 25:31-46?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do you think Jesus’ prayer in the Garden was answered? Why or why not?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The disciples abandoned Jesus, Peter denied Him, Judas betrayed Him. How do Christians make choices today that reflect these same actions?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Was Pilate able to remove the blood of Jesus on his hands by washing them? Were the Jews able to claim the responsibility for Jesus’ blood to be upon them and their children?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you think happened to Jesus’ body? Do you believe Matthew’s account, or that of the priests/Roman guards?</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-14925900603759312652020-09-03T17:17:00.003-04:002020-09-03T17:17:32.897-04:00Matthew 1-14 Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do you tend to be bored or fascinated with genealogies? How many generations back can you trace your own family tree?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why do you suppose Matthew might have chosen to begin his gospel with a genealogy of Jesus starting with Abraham?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How often does God communicate through dreams in Matthew 1 and 2? Do you think God still communicates that way today?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What were the circumstances of your baptism? What do you make of the conversation between Jesus and John about baptism?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which of Satan’s temptations in the wilderness do you think it would have been hardest for you to resist? Does Jesus give us any guidance on resisting temptation through His example here?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Simon, Andrew, James, and John were probably skilled fishermen. What did Jesus mean that they would now “fish for people”? How might Jesus put a spin on your occupation in His calling of you?</p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which beatitude do you find most comforting? Most confounding?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What’s the hardest part about loving our enemies? </p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Jesus’ advice on practicing acts of righteousness (such as giving, praying, fasting) have in common?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In comparison to Jesus’ first-century audience, do you think people today worry more, worry less, or worry about the same? Why?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do you consider “Do unto others as they do unto you” to be the Golden Rule? Why or why not?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does Jesus say we can tell false prophets from true ones?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Does Jesus’ parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders make the implicit promise that those who follow Him will never suffer ferocious storms in their lives? Why or why not?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What acts of power does Jesus demonstrate in Matthew 8?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Matthew 9:1-8 records the first instance of conflict between Jesus and the teachers of the law. What caused the initial tension? What other complaints against Jesus followed?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Jesus gives the disciples their marching orders in Matthew 10. What do you find most surprising out of all of His instructions?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you think about the Sabbath controversies and debates that Jesus has with the Pharisees in Matthew 12? Why do you think Jesus defensively quotes Hosea 6:6 at least twice in His ministry?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which of Jesus’ parables in chapter 13 speak most strongly to you?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you had been in the boat of disciples seeing Jesus walk on water, would you have wanted to join Him? What made Peter start to sink when he tried walking on water?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Have you discovered anything new or especially relevant to you on this reading trip through the Gospel of Matthew?</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-73876006887843938202020-08-26T14:59:00.003-04:002020-08-26T14:59:28.424-04:00Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the Lord’s complaint against the people in Haggai 1?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How did the people and their leaders respond?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to the Law cited in Haggai 2, which spreads when it touches other items – consecration or contamination?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What kind of punishment had the people been suffering because of their lack of concern for the Temple being left in ruins?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who does God say will be like His signet ring?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Zechariah 1, what does the Lord promise the people if they return to Him?</p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Does Zechariah 1 and 2 contain good news or bad news for Judah?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Zechariah 3, who is described as a burning stick snatched from a fire? </p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How would you interpret Zechariah 3:6 – “’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty”?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What two groups of people did the flying scroll curse with banishment?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What comparison and contrasts do you see between Zechariah 6:1-8 and Revelation 6:1-8?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Zechariah 7:9-10, what does the Lord prefer to ritualistic mourning and fasting?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How do Christians think Zechariah 9:9 was fulfilled?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you find in Zechariah 10 and 11 that echoes in the life of Jesus?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you think Zechariah 12:10-14 is looking forward to?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What clues about the future do we find in Zechariah 14?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was wrong with the animals being brought for sacrifice in Malachi 1?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who do Christians think Malachi is foreseeing in 3:1?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What kind of test does God invite His people to put Him to?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How would you respond to a Christian who says that the Old Testament is antithetical (or at least unnecessary) to the practice of our faith?</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-45051297493791092462020-08-23T23:07:00.007-04:002020-08-23T23:07:56.066-04:00Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What nation is the prophet Micah from, and which nations is he prophesying against?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does the punishment of Micah 2:3-5 fit the crime described in 2:1-2?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Based on Micah 2:6-11, why do you suppose true prophets are usually persecuted in their lifetimes while false prophets are often celebrated?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is Micah’s vision of the last days as recorded in 4:1-8?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do Christians see in Micah 5:2 as a prophecy of Jesus Christ?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Micah 6:6-8, what is God really looking for on the part of His people?</p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>With what kind of hope does the book of Micah end in 7:18-20?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What nation does Nahum primarily prophesy against? </p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How do we reconcile Nahum 1:2 with our understanding of God?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why is Nahum’s prophecy of judgment upon Nineveh simultaneously a message of peace and hope for Judah?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why do you suppose God’s people often feel impatient with God, as expressed in Habakkuk 1:2? Have you ever felt that way?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What contrasts do you see between false idols and the Lord God in Habakkuk 2:18-20?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>From what nation does Zephaniah come, and who does he prophesy against in chapter 1?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does Zephaniah picture the “Day of the Lord?”</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is Zephaniah’s advice in 2:3 to those who would prepare for this Day?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Zephaniah 2, will any of the other nations (Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Cush, Assyria) be spared?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What will those with purified lips do, according to Zephaniah 3:9?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are the characteristics of those the Lord removes from Jerusalem, and those who remain, in Zephaniah 3:11-13?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>With what kind of hope does the book of Zephaniah end in 3:14-20?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do you think God continues to appoint prophets to deliver His message today? Why or why not?</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-62126089666888110642020-08-17T00:22:00.001-04:002020-08-17T00:22:21.983-04:00Joel, Amos, Obadiah, and Jonah Twenty Questions<p> 1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Using your imagination, what kinds of catastrophic natural disasters might occur that could bring our nation to its knees?</p><p>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How devastating would it be for a nation in Bible times to have their agriculture completely devoured by swarms of locusts?</p><p>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In chapter one, what does the prophet Joel recommend as the response to the calamity of the invasion of locusts upon the land?</p><p>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When you hear the phrase, “the day of the Lord”, what emotions are stirred up within you? How do you think the prophet Joel would have us feel about that day?</p><p>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:32) appears several times in the Bible. Why is this important? What hope does it give you?</p><p>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was Amos’ profession?</p><p>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>You can imagine the people of Israel cheering Amos’ thundering pronouncements against their neighboring rivals in Amos 1:3-2:5. How do you think they would have felt about his message in 2:6 through the rest of the book?</p><p>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does Amos refer to the rich, privileged women of Israel in 4:1? </p><p>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are some ways the Lord tried to get Israel to return to Him?</p><p>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does Amos portray “the day of the Lord” (Amos 5:18-20)?</p><p>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are some of the specific sins that Amos charges Israel with?</p><p>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does the vision of a basket of ripe fruit in Amos 8:1 represent?</p><p>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What nation does Obadiah proclaim judgment against?</p><p>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Obadiah say about “the day of the Lord” in verse 15?</p><p>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Have you ever run away from a calling or direction that the Lord has given you? If so, what happened?</p><p>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How did Jonah’s rebellion against the Lord end up serving as a witness to the sailors on the ship bound for Tarshish?</p><p>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What would you say to someone who objects that Jonah’s experience of surviving three days in the belly of a fish is a physical impossibility?</p><p>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What effect did Jonah’s preaching against Nineveh have on the city and its residents?</p><p>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Was Jonah justified in his anger that God did not bring on Nineveh the destruction he had prophesied? Why or why not?</p><p>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Can you find at least four things that the Lord “provides” or “sends” in the book of Jonah?</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-83242664999691974642020-07-30T23:23:00.002-04:002020-07-30T23:25:29.358-04:00Daniel and Hosea Twenty Questions<div>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was the “test” that Daniel proposed to his Babylonian guardian in the matter concerning the diet for him and his friends from Judah?</div><div><br /></div><div>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who did Daniel credit for his ability to reveal and interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream?</div><div><br /></div><div>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How do most Christians interpret the kingdom referenced in Daniel 2:44-45?</div><div><br /></div><div>4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What evidence is there in Daniel 3 that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith in God did not rely on His deliverance of them from the fiery furnace?</div><div><br /></div><div>5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who do you think is the “fourth man” that Nebuchadnezzar saw in the furnace in Daniel 3?</div><div><br /></div><div>6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was the sin that triggered Nebuchadnezzar’s loss of mind in Daniel 4?</div><div><br /></div><div>7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was the sin of Belshazzar that triggered the hand writing on the wall in Daniel 5?</div><div><br /></div><div>8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Daniel 6, what did Daniel’s enemies conclude would be the only way of entrapping him? </div><div><br /></div><div>9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why might God’s miraculous deliverances of Daniel and his friends especially resonate with the community of Jewish exiles in Babylon?</div><div><br /></div><div>10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What emotional response do Daniel’s prophetic visions give you?</div><div><br /></div><div>11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What did God command the prophet Hosea to do in Hosea 1:2?</div><div><br /></div><div>12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was the point of this strange commission?</div><div><br /></div><div>13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do the sad names of Hosea’s children represent?</div><div><br /></div><div>14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why and how is Israel going to be punished, according to Hosea 2:1-13?</div><div><br /></div><div>15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does God show that He still loves Israel, according to Hosea 2:14-23?</div><div><br /></div><div>16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How would you like to have the calling of Hosea and act out in a marriage the love relationship between God and His people?</div><div><br /></div><div>17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How much does Hosea “buy” Gomer for in Hosea 3?</div><div><br /></div><div>18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What two animals does God say He is going to be like to Israel, according to Hosea 5?</div><div><br /></div><div>19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do you think Hosea 6:2 is a prophecy pertaining to Christ? Why or why not?</div><div><br /></div><div>20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What phrases in Hosea 11 demonstrate the Fatherhood of God?</div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-43023901623517235442020-07-29T14:27:00.003-04:002020-07-29T14:27:47.972-04:00Ezekiel 25-48 Twenty Questions1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Ezekiel 25, what is God’s verdict on those nations around Israel which took delight in her time of judgment and destruction?<br />
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2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Ezekiel prophesy will be the destiny of Tyre?<br />
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3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What evidence is there in Ezekiel 27 that Tyre was a great trading nation?<br />
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4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you think may have been the chief sin of Tyre, based on Ezekiel 28?<br />
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5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What nation does God say will be Nebuchadnezzar’s reward for fighting a tough battle against Tyre?<br />
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6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Where does God consign Egypt in Ezekiel 32:17-32?<br />
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7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the burden laid upon the watchman for his work?<br />
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8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Ezekiel 33, is it better to be a righteous person who disobeys, or a wicked person who turns from their wickedness?<br />
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9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What were the sins of the shepherds of Israel?<br />
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10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What parallels do you see between Ezekiel 34:11-31 and the teachings of Jesus?<br />
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11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who is Ezekiel told to prophesy to in Ezekiel 36:1?<br />
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12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>For whose sake is God promising to restore Israel: the people’s or His own?<br />
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13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do you think we should interpret Ezekiel 37’s Valley of the Dry Bones literally or figuratively? Why or why not?<br />
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14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Ezekiel’s vision of the Valley of the Dry Bones mean to Israel?<br />
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15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Ezekiel’s prophetic action of joining two sticks together in Ezekiel 37 represent?<br />
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16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Ezekiel looks forward to a great battle between Gog, a nation of the north, and Israel. Who will win?<br />
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17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How would Ezekiel’s vision of a new Temple inspire and encourage God’s people of his age?<br />
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18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does Ezekiel’s vision of a new Temple inspire and encourage God’s people today?<br />
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19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Ezekiel 43:1-5 describe, and how does it bring the book full circle from what the prophet had witnessed earlier?<br />
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20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does it say about God that He promises to restore Israel after their time of exile?<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-75053800549698054632020-07-24T13:45:00.003-04:002020-07-24T13:45:25.489-04:00Ezekiel 1-24 Twenty Questions1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What biographical details do we learn about the prophet Ezekiel from chapter 1?<br />
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2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What can you make of Ezekiel’s vision described in chapter 1?<br />
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3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Son of Man” appears frequently in Ezekiel. Where else in scripture do we hear this phrase?<br />
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4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does God commission Ezekiel to do in chapter 2?<br />
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5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What were God’s instructions to Ezekiel concerning how long he was to lay on his left side and on his right side in chapter 4?<br />
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6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the symbolism of Ezekiel’s hair from his shaved head in chapter 5?<br />
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7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Ezekiel’s message in chapter 7 is now “The End Is Here!” rather than “The End Is Near!” How would you respond to a prophet announcing imminent doom?<br />
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8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Ezekiel 8 reveals several instances of idol-worship among the Israelites. Why does God regard this as such a terrible sin?<br />
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9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Ezekiel 8, even priests and elders were engaging in idolatry. Are religious leaders today immune from provoking the Lord with false worship? Why or why not?<br />
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10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When Solomon dedicated the temple, the glory of God filled it. What happens in Ezekiel 10:18?<br />
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11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What kind of “heart transplant” is described in Ezekiel 11:19?<br />
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12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the connection between Ezekiel 12 and Jeremiah 39?<br />
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13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Ezekiel 13, what do false prophets (those who proclaim “peace” when there is no peace) have to do with “whitewash”?<br />
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14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Which 3 men are held up as models of righteousness in Ezekiel 14?<br />
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15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Ezekiel 16 is an extended graphic metaphor of Jerusalem as an adulterous wife. According to the prophet, what kind of items did God give her, and what did she do with each of the gifts?<br />
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16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What spiritual principles does Ezekiel 18 set forth concerning the sin of parents paid for by their children, as well as the wicked turning to righteousness and the righteous turning to wickedness?<br />
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17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Ezekiel 20, how far back does Israel’s rebelliousness go?<br />
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18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do we know about the sword described in Ezekiel 21?<br />
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19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who do the two adulterous sisters of Ezekiel 23 represent?<br />
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20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In chapter 24, Ezekiel’s wife dies. How is her death, and the response that Ezekiel is commanded to have toward it, symbolic of what is happening in Israelite history at that moment?<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-22151589454813417402020-07-19T19:55:00.002-04:002020-07-19T19:55:36.970-04:00Jeremiah 38-52 and Lamentations Twenty Questions1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you had been in Jerusalem circa 587 B.C. to hear Jeremiah’s message in chapter 38:2-3, how do you think you would have responded?<br />
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2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do you see any connection between what was done to Jeremiah in 38:6 and his message to King Zedekiah in 38:22?<br />
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3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was the fate of King Zedekiah after the Babylonian victory?<br />
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4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was the fate of Jeremiah after the Babylonian victory?<br />
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5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>After the assassination of Nebuchadnezzar’s appointed governor, Gedaliah, many of the Jews remaining in Judah fled to Egypt. Was this in obedience or disobedience to Jeremiah’s message to them?<br />
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6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Jeremiah 44, how did the Jews in Egypt feel about offering incense to the Queen of Heaven?<br />
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7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In the battle between Babylon and Egypt for supremacy, who won?<br />
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8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does Jeremiah prophesy for Babylon in chapters 50 and 51?<br />
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9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What did the Babylonians do to Jerusalem, as recounted in Jeremiah 52:12-27?<br />
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10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does the Book of Jeremiah end emotionally, with its account of King Jehoiachin in 52:31-34?<br />
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11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Have you ever had a season or time of lament in your life? What did you lament?<br />
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12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why didn’t the promises of God and the status of the Jews as God’s chosen people protect their nation from ruin?<br />
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13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are some things Jerusalem is likened to in Lamentations 1:1?<br />
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14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you think Lamentations 1:10 is referring to?<br />
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15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the emotional, psychological, economic and spiritual toll of seeing a land’s best people sent into exile to another nation?<br />
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16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Does Jeremiah describe God’s role in the destruction of the nation as passive or active? Why do you think that is?<br />
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17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do you see any spiritual significance in the children of Jerusalem crying out in desperation for “bread and wine” in Lamentations 2:12?<br />
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18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The phrase “terrors on every side” appears several times in Jeremiah and Lamentations, such as in Lamentations 2:22. What does 2:20 and 4:10 indicate about the extent of the famine in Jerusalem during the Babylonian siege?<br />
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19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In spite of Jeremiah’s many afflictions, what is the source of his hope in Lamentations 3:22 and following? (Bonus question: What hymn is based on Lamentations 3:22-23?)<br />
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20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Lamentations 4:12, it had been widely believed that Jerusalem’s defenses were impregnable. Is any nation beyond the reach of God’s judgment?<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-7080198010870768592020-07-16T23:11:00.003-04:002020-07-16T23:11:23.037-04:00Jeremiah 20-37 Twenty Questions1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Are you surprised that Jeremiah, a true prophet of the Lord, with even a book of the Bible named for him, was beaten and rejected? Why or why not?<br />
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2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Jeremiah expresses his bitterness toward God in chapter 20. Can you relate? Have you ever felt angry with God?<br />
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3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What should people do when they are upset with God? Did Jeremiah handle his feelings the right way?<br />
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4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What are the parallels between Jeremiah 20:14-18 and Job 3?<br />
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5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was Jeremiah’s advice in chapter 21 concerning the attacking Babylonian army?<br />
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6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How does Israel fulfill her calling to be a witness for God to the nations, even in a passage like Jeremiah 22:8-9 (compare with Deuteronomy 28:9-10 and 29:22-28)?<br />
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7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who are the “shepherds” described in Jeremiah 23:1-4?<br />
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8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What was the meaning of Jeremiah’s vision of the two baskets of figs in Jeremiah 24?<br />
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9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Jeremiah 25, what noteworthy nations are made to drink the cup of the Lord’s wrath? Are any kingdoms omitted?<br />
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10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What evidence do we have in Jeremiah 26 that the prophet’s life was truly in jeopardy?<br />
11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Imagine a modern-day prophet giving our nation the message of Jeremiah in chapter 27. What would you think of someone who prophesied our destruction unless we surrender to another power?<br />
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12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How would you feel to be a prophet like Jeremiah, and being called by God to proclaim a message of national disaster like he was?<br />
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13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Describe what the yoke of Jeremiah 27 and 28 represented, and what Jeremiah and Hananiah each had to say about it?<br />
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14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The exiles in Babylon had a choice – either resign themselves to their situation and make the best of it, or sullenly refuse to accept their lot, pine for their homeland, and work against Babylon. Which course of action does Jeremiah advise them to take?<br />
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15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In the midst of all the “bad news” Jeremiah was charged to deliver during his ministry, what is the “good news” of Jeremiah 29:10-14?<br />
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16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How do Christians believe Jeremiah 31:15 is fulfilled in the New Testament?<br />
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17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Describe the “new covenant” that Jeremiah foresees in chapter 31.<br />
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18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How is the act of Jeremiah buying a field in chapter 32, at the very moment the Babylonians are laying siege to the city, a sign of hope?<br />
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19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Who are the Rekabites of Jeremiah 35, and what is their lesson to Judah?<br />
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20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How did King Jehoiakim treat the scroll containing the prophetic words that the Lord had given to Jeremiah in chapter 36?<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645372303605857573.post-47864472323905763192020-07-08T16:48:00.001-04:002020-07-08T16:48:26.679-04:00Jeremiah 1-19 Twenty Questions1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What do you already know, or what have you heard, about the prophet Jeremiah?<br />
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2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Why would Jeremiah 1:4-5 be a potentially powerful verse on the abortion issue?<br />
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3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What two issues made Jeremiah think he was unqualified to be a prophet, and how did God respond?<br />
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4.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How is Israel’s turning away from the Lord and turning toward idols reflected in Jeremiah 2?<br />
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5.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In what way has the nation of Israel been behaving like a prostitute?<br />
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6.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>God says of Himself that He is a “jealous God” (Exodus 20:5). Is jealousy ever appropriate in a relationship? If so, how?<br />
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7.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What alternatives does God offer the nation in Jeremiah 4:1-4?<br />
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8.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Jeremiah 4:5-31 is a good example of why Jeremiah is known as “the weeping prophet.” It was his mission to announce doom to Judah. What nation and its invading army is described here?<br />
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9.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Jeremiah 5, how many fair and honest people does God say Jeremiah needs to find in order for Him to forgive the city?<br />
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10.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What kind of warnings has our nation heard over and over again about long-term troubles that have become background noise?<br />
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11.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The residents of Jerusalem thought they were safe from attack because the city housed the Temple. What does the prophet say in Jeremiah 7 to show that the people are misguided in their trust?<br />
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12.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What does God reveal to Jeremiah about the success of his ministry as a prophet (Jeremiah 7:27-28)?<br />
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13.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>How many times do you find words or images for “weeping” and “wailing” in Jeremiah 9?<br />
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14.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Israel had exchanged God for worthless idols. What kinds of “worthless idols” today tempt us away from worshiping God?<br />
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15.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>According to Jeremiah 11, is God justified for bringing destruction upon His chosen people? Why or why not?<br />
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16.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We often struggle with why bad things happen to good people. In Jeremiah 12, the prophet complains that good things happen to bad people. What are some biblical answers to this concern?<br />
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17.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>While Jeremiah prophesied destruction, false prophets proclaimed deliverance (Jeremiah 14:13). How can we tell the difference between real prophets and false prophets?<br />
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18.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In Jeremiah 16, what activities does God forbid the prophet to do, and what is the deeper meaning behind their prohibition?<br />
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19.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the message that Jeremiah received in chapter 18 at the potter’s house?<br />
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20.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What is the message of the clay jar that Jeremiah buys from a potter in chapter 19?<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">http://BLOGNAME.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default</div>Jon Truaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17284543267880387660noreply@blogger.com0